Nursing Now!

World Health Organization backs campaign to raise the stature of nurses.

By Debra Moffitt
08 Mar 2018

Nurses are so vital to the global health care system that we need 9 million new nurses by 2030 and they should get more of a say in health care policy, the World Health Organization (WHO) said as it announced its support for the Nursing Now campaign.

The International Council of Nurses joined WHO in supporting Nursing Now, a three-year effort from the Burdett Trust for Nursing to increase both the number of nurses and raise the status of the profession.

Nurses are the “unsung heroes” of global emergencies, such as natural disasters and wars, and they’re also “at the heart of efforts to improve health for all,” according to the WHO. Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, kicked off the campaign, saying that “nurses are always there.”

Nurses are especially vital in the care of rare disease patients, said Elyse Murphy, associate director of CSL Behring’s immunology field team. They’re there to support patients and are an important source of knowledge as patients learn to manage complicated diseases, said Murphy, herself a registered nurse.

We asked Murphy what she thinks about the Nursing Now campaign and why nurses are important to the rare disease community. Here’s what she said:

What are your thoughts on the Nursing Now campaign?

This global campaign is vital for many reasons: to raise awareness about the need to grow the number of nurses and to raise awareness about how integral a nurse is for optimal patient outcomes. Nurses always find the time to do what needs to get done for their patients. They are the staunch advocates for those who have a rare disease and have nowhere else to turn. They are uniquely flexible and adaptable with managing almost any situation. The nurses on our CSL Behring teams show this in every way every day.

How are nurses important in the treatment of rare diseases?

Not only do they provide and execute disease-state monitoring, therapeutic procedures and patient education for their patients, but they share the joy and sorrow of their journey along the way.

Why does CSL Behring hire nurses? What are their particular strengths?

I could elaborate quite a bit on why CSL Behring hires nurses but will simply state: Nurses are committed and resilient. They will never give up and don’t end their day until what needs to get done is completed. It is an honor to work with the nurses on my team.